Dr. Jörn Günther • Antiquariat
www.guenther-rarebooks.com

CONTENTS

Illuminated manuscripts

  1. Canones conciliorum, written by an insular scribe,
    Northern Italy, c. 775
  2. Psalter, so-called Bernwardpsalter,
    Germany, Hildesheim, c. 1020
  3. Gospel Lectionary, Byzantium,
    Constantinople,c. 1100
  4. St Augustine, Enarrationes in Psalmos, Upper
    Austria, Lambach Abbey, second half 12th century
  5. Vita Christi, Life of Christ and of the Virgin,
    Northern England,York, c.1190-1200,
    and East Anglia, Norfolk, c.1480-90
  6. Antiphonary, illuminated choirbook, Italy,Venice
    (San Marco), c. 1250 (between 1238 and 1264)
  7. Psalter and biblia latina with the interpretation
    of the Hebrew names, France, Lorraine, Metz, c. 1250
  8. Psalter for the use of Brussels, Northern France,
    Paris, c. 1260
  9. Biblia latina with the interpretations of
    the Hebrew names, Southern France,Toulouse,
    last quarter of the 13th century
  10. Psalter, illuminiated for Gui de Dampierre,
    Southern Netherlands, Bruges, c. 1280
  11. Speculum humanae salvationis, illuminated
    with pen-and-ink drawings by Magister Konrad,
    Austria, before 1386
  12. Book of hours, use of Chartres, illuminated by
    the Bedford workshop, France, Paris, c. 1400-10
  13. Psalter, Spain, Barcelona, shortly after 1400
    and c. 1440-50
  14. Book of hours, use of Rome, illuminated by
    Pseudo-Jacquemart, France, Paris, c. 1410
  15. The so-called Wardington Hours, hours of
    the Passion, illuminated by the Bedford workshop,
    France, Paris, c. 1410 and 1430
  16. Wirnt von Grafenberg, Wigalois (manuscript k),
    illustrated by the circle of the Workshop of 1418
    and of Diebold Lauber,Alsace, c. 1420-30
  17. I.Thomas de Chobham, Summa de poenitentia,
    dat. 1422; II. Stephan Palecz, Utilia contra errantes;
    III. Johannes Andreae, Processus iudicalis – et al.;
    Austria, Seitenstetten, c. 1422
  18. Joachim di Fiore Vaticinia sive Prophetiae
    et Imagines Summorum Pontificum,
    illustrated by the workshop of Lorenzo
    di Pietro ‘Il Vecchietta’, Benvenuto di Giovanni,
    Italy, Siena, c. 1450 and c. 1464
  19. Bruder Philipp, Marienleben
    and other texts, Upper Rhine, c. 1450
  20. German prayerbook with metalcuts, Germany,
    Cologne and Tyrol, Diocese of Brixen,
    dated 1458
  21. Book of hours, use of Paris, illuminated by
    the Master of Jacques de Luxembourg, France,
    Paris, c. 1460-70
  22. Book of hours, use of Rome, illuminated by the
    Master of Marguerite de Liederkerke, Flanders,
    Hainault, Mons or Valenciennes, c. 1500
  23. Croy-Arenberg Book of Hours, use of Sarum,
    with miniatures by the Master of Sir George
    Talbot, the Master of the First Prayer Book of
    Maximilian and the Master of the David Scenes
    in the Grimani Breviary, Flanders, Ghent,
    1505 and c. 1510-20
  24. Berault Stuart (Bernard Stewart),
    Traité sur l’art de la guerre, Northern France, Paris,
    second quarter 16th century
  25. Battista Agnese, Portolan Atlas, Italy,Venice,
    signed and dated 5 February 1544


    26. Early Prints

  26. Nativity, Single-leaf print, Southern Germany,
    c. 1440
  27. The Good Sheperd – ihesus xpristus,
    Single-leaf print, Southern Germany,
    West-Swabian, c. 1460-70
  28. Block-book – Ars Memorandi per figuras
    Evangelistarum, first print of first edition,
    Southern Germany, Nuremberg, c. 1470
  29. Block-book – Der Antichrist und die fünfzehn Zeichen
    Germany, Nuremberg: Hans Briefmaler 1472,
    second edition, i.e. Hans Sporer, 1470
  30. Celestial vision at Constantinople. Kunt und
    wissennt sey allermeniglich das ein sölich geschicht
    unnd erschreckliches erschein gesehen ist worden hinter
    Canstantinopel ..., Single leaf print, Southern
    Germany, Nuremberg c. 1491
  31. Biblia Latina – A single leaf,Mainz: Johann
    Gutenberg and Johann Fust,‘c. 1454/55’; rather 1452-1454
  32. Psalterium Benedictum Congregationis Bursfeldensis
    – A single leaf, Mainz: Johann Fust
    and Peter Schöffer, 29 August 1459
  33. I.Thomas de Aquino. Summa de articulis fidei,
    Mainz: Printer of the Catholicon before 1460
    or Peter Schöffer c. 1469
    II. Matthaeus de Cracovia. Dialogus rationis
    et conscientiae de frequenti usu Communionis,
    Mainz: see above, c. 1469;
    III.Antoninus Florentinus. Confessionale:
    Defecerunt.With: Johannes Chrysostomus. Sermo
    de poenitentia, Cologne: Ulrich Zell, c. 1470
  34. Johannes Balbus, Catholicon, Mainz: printer of
    the Catholicon, probably Gutenberg workshop
    1460, c. 1472, or 1469
  35. Rudimentum Novitiorum, Lubeck: Lucas Brandis,
    5 August 1475
  36. Speculum humanae salvationis, German:
    ein spiegel der menschlichen behaltnisze,
    Basel: Bernhard Richel, 31 August 1476
  37. Conrad von Megenberg, Das buch der Natur,
    Augsburg: Johann Bämler, 20 August 1481
  38. Auslegung – Messe singen oder lesen wer
    das thun sol, wenn, wie oder wo, Nuremberg:
    Friedrich Creussner, not after 1482
  39. Jacobus de Theramo, Belial. Cy commence le proces
    de Belial a l’encontre de Ihesus. Lyon, Mathias Huss:
    19 May 1486
  40. Compilation of ten French
    literary incunabula, Paris, 1488-c. 95, among them Olivier
    de la Marche, Le Chevalier Délibéré. Paris: Guy Marchand
    or Antoine Caillaut for Antoine Vérard,
    8 August 1488
  41. Olivier de la Marche. Le Chevalier Délibéré,
    Gouda, printer of the Chevalier délibéré,
    Collaciebroeders, after 31 October 1489
  42. Petrus de Crescentiis, Ruralia commoda.
    In commodum ruralium cum figuris libri duodecim,
    Speyer: Peter Drach, not before 1493
  43. Alanus de Rupe, Von dem psalter unnd Rosen
    krancz unser lieben frauen.Wie man den beten sol,
    Augsburg: Anton Sorg, 1492
  44. Der Doten dantz mit figuren. Clage und
    Antwort schon von allen staten der welt,
    Mainz: Jacob Meydenbach, c. 1492
  45. Fiore di virtù. Questa sie una utilissima operetta
    acada uno fidel christiano chiamata fior de virtu,Venice:
    Matteo Capcasa di Codeca, 15 January 1493
  46. Christophorus Columbus, De insulis nuper
    in mari Indico inventis, and Carolus Verardus,
    Historia Baetica. In laudem Serenissimi
    Ferdinandi Hispaniarum regis Bethicae & regni
    Granatae obsidio, victoria & triumphus,
    Basel: Johann Bergmann von Olpe, 1494
  47. Scriptores Astronomici veteres: Julius Firmicus
    Maternus, Mathesis and other Greek and Roman
    astronomical texts,Venice:Aldus Manutius, 1499
  48. a: La dance macabre des hommes, Paris,
    widow of Jehan Treperel and Jehan Jehannot,
    c. 1512-22 234

     b: La dance macabre des femmes toutes
    hystories & augmentee de nouveau, Paris,
    Jehan Treperel (II), c. 1525-32
  49. Martin Luther, Das newe testament deutzsch,
    Wittenberg: Melchior Lotter, 1524
  50. Aurelius Theodosius Macrobius, In somnium
    Scipionis libri II. Saturnaliorum libri VII.
    Basel: Johannes Herwagen the Elder, 1535

    Key to bibliographical references

First book to represent the known world by means of a double-page woodcut map

35 Rudimentum Novitiorum

Lubeck: Lucas Brandis, 5 August 1475. First edition. The first dated book printed in Lubeck.

2°, 396 x 291 mm. 2 volumes. 475 of 477 leaves (lacking only the two final blank leaves, as in most copies). Most signatures preserved, manuscript foliation I-ccccvi. – Two columns of 47 lines. Rubricated throughout in red and blue, some large painted initials. Around 160 woodcuts.The 23 woodcuts of the first quire and the one of the replaced leaf are not coloured, all others in splendid contemporary dark colouring. – Rare variant including complete first quire: the preceding genealogies comprise 12 leafs instead of 10 or 11. Among those copies with a given collation there was no other traceable with 12 leafs, the more so as the genealogies are quite often completely lacking.Two leafs of the complete first quire must have been misprinted and had been removed in most of the other copies. fol. 1 (verso blank) shows the pedigrees with Homer, Aeneas etc. and a medaillon with the anointing of Saul. This page is repeated in correct chronological order on fol. 7v. fol. 3, representing Moses, Aaron and the tabernacle does not belong here either, but on fol. 5r, where it appears again, this time correctly. For further variants cf.Arnim 1984 no. 293 and Ford 1990 no. 172. Leaf m3 is taken from another copy and re-margined. Leaf 2 is made up of two leaves. Some repaired tears. Now, the original order, as in the Munich (BSB, 2Inc.c.a. 408m) and Frankfurt (StUB, inc.fol. 118) copies, has been restored, readjusting the disorder of the 1910 binding. – Bindings of c. 1910: blind-stamped dark brown pigskin over wooden boards with five raised bands, in period style, gilt title on front covers.

PROVENANCE: 1. (Probably:) J. Rosenthal, Catalogue 24 (1900), no. 477? 2. Ida Schoeller (1863-1917, a bibliophile collector), her monogram I. S. on front covers. She bought the volumes in 1905 from bookseller Joseph Baer in Frankfurt. 3. Gustav v. Rath (1888-1961). Sold in 1961 to bookseller H. Domizlaff, Munich. 4. Since 1962 (leaf m3 bought in 1970): Otto Schäfer collection, Schweinfurt, OS 293.

TEXT:The Rudimentum Novitiorum (A Handbook for Beginners) is a history of the world compiled from various sources: the Bible, the church fathers, pagan mythology and compilations such as that of Vincent of Beauvais, and ranging from creation to the year 1473. Presumably written by a cleric, it served as an elementary textbook for younger clerics and a wider circle of readers alike. The compilation of universal history deals with the six ages of the world in accordance with the usual didactic scheme of world chronicles. The first age comprises creation and the earliest cities, the following ages continue up to the sixth, which covers the age of Christianity. On fol. 164-188 we find the first travel itinerary ever contained in a printed book. Burchardus de Monte Sion (presumably from Magdeburg) appears to have undertaken a long journey to Armenia, Palestine and Egypt towards the end of the 13th century, from 1275 to 1285. He wrote his report in the years following his return, between 1285 and 1291. His remarks turn out to be very detailed and based almost entirely on first-hand knowledge: he always acknowledges when he quotes other commentators. He places particular emphasis on locations mentioned in the bible and his report on Jerusalem is consequently by far his most meticulous. This book is superlatively successful, the first of its kind in many respects: it is also the first printed book describing and depicting stag and fox hunting.

ILLUSTRATION: The abundant illustration, comprising scenic woodcuts (of 57 blocks, some repeated) and genealogical charts, is ascribed by Baer to a single artist. However, at least two hands can be distinguished in the woodcarving. Especially noteworthy are the woodcuts illustrating the book of Genesis and other important events from the Old Testament, as well as the large woodcut incorporating nine scenes from the Passion of Christ, as these refer to engravings by Israhel van Meckenem or the Master of the Martyrdom of the Ten Thousand. Some of the woodcuts also appear in an undated edition of the Flavius Josephus (HC 9450), but so far, the scholarly discourse as to which book employed them first remains unresolved (cf.Arnim 1984, no. 293, ann. 9). Special attention should be paid to the Rudimentum’s two double-page woodcut maps of Palestine and of the world, the latter the second printed world map (preceded only by a small woodcut in the 1472 Augsburg edition of Isidore’s Etymologiae).These represent the first printed maps in a modern sense, yet while the impressive world map is much more than a diagram, with over 100 place names, it is still clearly based on medieval geographic concepts. As a ‘mappa mundi’ of the era of maps based on religious imagination it provides a fascinating insight into the mindset of medieval cartography before the advent of the Age of Discovery.

PRINTER: Lucas Brandis announced his Rudimentum in an advertisement that survived in a single copy, rediscovered in 1955 (cf. Scholderer 1956).With the Rudimentum, Brandis gave birth to a typographic masterpiece in the strong, impressive, round gothic type that was clearly influenced by Schöffer’s typeset. However, despite this, the book failed to lift Brandis out of the economic problems with which he was persistently plagued. In 1500, for example, he was so deeply in debt, that he was compelled to remain in Lubeck and forbidden to export anything of his property. The later French edition, however, published in 1488 at Le Rouge in Paris and called La Mer des hystoires, turned out to be more successful, and it was released in several editions.

RARITY: Very rarely found on the market. Only a single complete copy has appeared at an international auction since 1970. In Germany, however, three incomplete copies have been sold, despite lacking the valuable maps. A number of European public libraries possess a copy of the Rudimentum, but there are just eight in the whole U.S., most of which are incomplete.

LITERATURE: Hain 1826, 4996; Pellechet 1897, no. 3404; Baer 1903, pp. 98-105 and XXVIII-XXXII (138); BMC II, p. 550; Schreiber, no. 5159; Schramm 1920, X, pp. 3 and 8, fig. 1-96; Scholderer 1956; Goff 1964, R-345; Ohly/Sack 1967, no. 2505; Kunze 1975, I, p. 285f, II, fig. 194-199; Rosenwald 1977, no. 55; Arnim 1984, no. 293; BSB-Ink R-283; Ford 1990, no. 172;Brown 2000;GW M39062; ISTC ir00345500.